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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#87: Fool Me Once

From trickster gods to office pranks, humans have long been fascinated by mischief and mayhem. There’s just something about breaking free of the rules of polite society and causing a bit of chaos that appeals deeply to our psyche.

This week, let’s embrace that playful spirit. Whether it’s someone being pranked or doing the pranking, there’s plenty of opportunity to dive deep into your characters’ motives and reactions. No joke — it’s time to break out the (metaphorical) cream pies and throw some anarchy at your protagonists.

This week's prompts

Write about a mischievous pixie or trickster god.

Kids – 206 stories

Write about someone who’s spent a whole year planning a big prank, and now they’re finally ready to pull it off.

Middle School – 75 stories

Write about someone who hates pranks and spends April Fools’ Day doing good deeds instead.

Holiday – 69 stories

Start your story with a big company pulling an April Fools’ prank that ends up going horribly wrong.

Holiday – 82 stories

Write about someone who goes to great lengths to avoid being pranked on April 1st, only to realize they had the date wrong and it’s already April 2nd.

Holiday – 60 stories

Stories

“Outwitting El Duente” by Gina Solano

Submitted to Contest #87

She ran happily with the river, trying to keep up with the floating little boats she made from twigs and cottonwood leaves. Stretching out her arms, she imagined herself as water, pouring over stubborn rocks, flowing with the fish, and making ripples to keep the creepy water spiders away. She was blissfully one with the river, until a few minutes later realizing the thing she feared the most was waiting just around the bend. At 14-years old, Carolina still wore long braided pigtails. She lived her life in a duality of childlike adventure a...

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“Marcus Bromhead” by Gerald Daniels

Submitted to Contest #87

My name's Marcus Bromhead, it's 1976 and I'm studying for my final exams at The Farrsholt School for Boys. I walk to school every day because walking gives me time to think, and because my mother can't afford to buy me a bicycle. On the way home I pass a narrow strip of land that belongs to the allotment society, strips of cabbages, sprouts and potato plants all growing at peculiar angles and tended to by flat-capped old men with baggy trousers and torn shirts. Sometimes I sit in the long grass...

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“The Golfer and the Pixie” by David Dicaire

Submitted to Contest #87

The Golfer and the Pixie Mike Belmont stood at the edge of the field and drilled one golf ball after another. They went straight and long. He worked up a good sweat and was thrilled with the morning effort until he drilled the last one in the small clump of trees way to the left. He checked his watch and realized that he had to get going. So he trudged out to the field and started to collect the golf balls. He had turned around and was coming back when the guy remembered the one in the woods. So he went into th...

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“Strife” by Rachel Loughran

Submitted to Contest #87

You weren’t invited to the wedding, and you love weddings. There’s nothing quite like the pressure and fear and (if you’re lucky) elation that comes with good old fashioned nuptials for inciting a little mayhem. Zeus had seen Thetis bathing in the water below Mount Olympus with her sisters the Nereids; sea nymphs, shapeshifters, all of them beautiful and kind, with voices so sweet and melodious, it was said to hear them sing in harmony would cause anyone to lose their senses and begin weeping with the sheer emotion of their refrain...

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“Mischief's Ship” by Isabelle Saadatmand

Submitted to Contest #87

The ships roll smoothly through the waves in the distance, unaware of my little island. I would prefer to live on the mainland, and whether they know it or not, they’re my ride. I dip my hand into the water, and it understands, forcing the ships to turn towards me. The men aboard may struggle at first, trying to get their vessels to return to their original course, but I know they will not be able to do so. The sea prefers me. As the ships approach, I notice they don’t belong to any nation. These are pirat...

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“How Thintar Became King” by Emily Powell

Submitted to Contest #87

Gather around; I have a story that the gods love to tell, for it amuses them even more than we do. It is the story of Thintar the Trickster and how they accidentally found themselves crowned king of men. And begins as all good stories do with our little hero taking a bath;Thintar waded into the shallows of the universe and found they hated mud. It was a wretched edition to the cosmos, truly some of Asoi’s worst work. Not just the literal stuff -though that was terrible, but the metaphorical mud as well.The universe was saturated with metapho...

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“I'm not a liar” by Adanna Anita

Submitted to Contest #87

1st April, 2021 9:40am Dear Diary, And today is the first day of April, and on this day the day of lies is celebrated, and honor is given to liars! As this strange adjective increases more and more, more and more people adopt this adjective in their personalities, someone once had the original day to honor it by creating a day especially dedicated to these creatures. But living too long in a world created and based on lies, can become dangerous and harmful, both for those who lie and for those who pretend to belie...

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“The Forest Fairy” by Fay Winter

Submitted to Contest #87

I stare at my prey, trying to think of the funniest prank I can pull on him. What about luring him into the pond, where he then gets covered in mud? That would be hilarious. I decide to go with that one, and I fly over the tree tops and land at the pond. I start singing, and I can hear the boy running towards the pond, trying to find the source of the singing. As soon as he breaks through the trees, I fly up and watch him from above as he slips and slides in the mud, and then face plants in it. I laugh so much. That is so hilarious. He looks...

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“Dare the Devil” by Sinria Lee

Submitted to Contest #87

Short Blurb:Get to know Dare aka Lucifer, the not so scary god of underworld who got bored in hell so he decided to take a vacation in the human realm.___Dare's POV"Damn, I'm bored. I feel like I wanna get tossed again all the way to hell from the gates of heaven."The naked skanks around me giggled as if I said some funny things. Ugh, Dad didn't just tossed me, he tossed these stupid creatures with me.But, It's okay, I understand. My intelligence is enough and can suffice for all of us here in hell."Go away sluts, I need some time alone."All...

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“Waitress at Bucky's” by Aburrow Marsh

Submitted to Contest #87

In her human form, Theresa, Queen of the Southern Forest, stood out in a crowd. Everyone knew her as the sexy babe who waited tables at Bucky’s Barbecue (“the Best Sauce this side o’ the Mississippi!”). She had wavy black curls, a perfect bust, a scattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks, and penetrating green eyes that some men said resembled those of a cat. She never met a stranger, never got an order wrong, and sometimes gave out her phone number to men passing through town. Her life was flawless, charmed, and totally false.In rea...

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“April Fools Death ” by Chris Buono

Submitted to Contest #87

Everything was set. Holograms ready to blaze lasers when triggered, actors place strategically in the crowd to aid in the terror, charges were set to create little explosions, and remote-controlled discs that looked like flying saucers. The Wheezing and Winks Novelties company always had a marvelous April Fools Day extravaganza. Always to promote a new product. This year would top every prior event. War of the Worlds- inspir...

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“New Queen For Sankori” by Elizabeth Crawford

Submitted to Contest #87

There is a place called Spooky Hollow and there were people who were reading the story about it. There were mythical creatures and dark winged creatures who haunted the forest and people never went there again,But one day I met a brave girl who wanted to go there and her family said No.It is too dangerous for a girl like you. People said if you hear scary noises they will haunt you for life and kill you in your sleep, and the girl said it was just a mth and then she was trying to tell people it is just a mth. When I woke up at night I packed...

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“The Monkeys Lilly” by Janelle Curry

Submitted to Contest #87

The chandelier’s reflecting light danced on the velvet curtains in the ballroom. “Quite agreeable evening isn't it Lily. Lily?” “Oh-oh yes of course.” Lily was in fact quite distracted. A ruffle in the velvet curtains by one of the large, ornate windows had caught her eye. “Horace, did you see something move in the velvet curtains over there?” She pointed her slender fair arm across to the window. “No, but you know this fondue is quite exquisite! I say Lily, try some-” Horace was quite large, buttons almost bursting at the seams of his...

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“Not Today” by Zion Hintay

Submitted to Contest #87

*Beep* *Beep* *Beep*An apple watch laying upon a bedside table rings insistently. Its owner, young Zack Mackelroy, wakes up to the familiar sound. Peering through weary eyelids, he reaches out to the watch. Still half asleep.April 1st, 2020. 7:30The worst day of the year, during the worst year in history.Beside his watch was a pair of oval glasses. He reached out to them as the world around him was just a mish mash of muddled mirages at the moment. Or that's how he felt anyway.Getting up, he moved over to his dresser and faced the rectangula...

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“Your Wish is my Want” by RIC .

Submitted to Contest #87

Alios loved to mess with the mortals who worshiped him. He loved breaking into their homes at night and turning their shoes into puppies and belts into snakes. He loved sending thieves into villages who forgot to leave offerings to him. He loved throwing parties for his fellow omnipotent beings. He loved what he did. But Alios was not all tricks, thieving, and parties. Believe it or not, he was a devoted lover. Or, he was the former king of the pixies who lef...

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$50

Prize money

492

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Apr 02, 2021 EST

Won by Catherine Hill 🏆

Title: Samill the Trickster

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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